Autographic recorder arrangement



Oct. 17, 1961 H. H. F. DELFS ETAL 3,004,318

AUTOGRAPHIC RECORDER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 25, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 MZEZM w \wt EHESE Dmulw INVENTORS.

(Ma \m /buw J W QM Tn n Oct. 17, 1961 H. H. F. DELFs ETAL 3,004,818

AUTOGRAPHIC RECORDER ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23. 1959 Iii-II m QL /NVENTOR$ Oct. 17, 1961 H. H. F. DELFS ETAL 3,

AUTQGRAPHIC RECORDER ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet '6 QZES; vie! Oct. 17, 1961 H. H. F. DELFS ETAL 3,004,818

AUTOGRAPHIC RECORDER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 25, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 in w I l I "l llulnnmdn INVENTORS M \wmzifm, W

United States Patent AUTOGRAPHIC RECORDER ARRANGEMENT Heinz Hermann Franz Delis, Kiel, and Karl Viigtlin, Villingen, Black Forest, Germany, assignors to Kienzle Apparate G.m.b.H., -Villingen, Black Forest, Germany Filed Nov. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 854,752 Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 21, 1958 19 Claims. (Cl. 346-49) invention concerns an autographic recorder, particularly suited for use as a tachograph for automotive vehicles and the like, with the purpose of recording not only the varying operating conditions and speeds of the vehicle while in operation, but also various types of working periods of the vehicle drivers while the vehicle is not in operation.

It has been found that known devices furnishing graph records used for similar purposes have the disadvantage that they cannot replace the type of work time records made in note books and the like which are intended to serve as permanent records of the working time periods The present of the drivers, because it is necessary to indicate in the recordings not only the actual driving periods but also such times as are required for the cleaning of the vehicle, change of tires etc., which latter of course are working times to be paid accordingly. On the other hand there are intermission and waiting times which will be paid according to a different tarifi. Waiting times are such periods during which the driver must wait without any fault of his own for instance for the loading or unloading of his vehicle and inter-missions are prescribed resting times of the driver after predetermined driving periods, for instance after 4 hours driving.

All these circumstances cannot be recorded by the known tachographs as there is no space for such recordings on the diagram disk. Up to this day it was therefore impossible to give up the use of hand written time records although these records were always written by the driver after finishing his Work and therefore are not necessarily accurate.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a device to be used with and in a tachograph,

by means of which it is possible to record the various working and waiting times as well as the intermission periods applied by the drivers, when the vehicle is not in motion.

To this end the tachographs are provided with at least one additional stylus which is out of engagement with the recording disk and blocked against operation, whenever the vehicle is running, while such stylus or styli can be moved into operative position at the will of the operator, when the vehicle is not in motion. This arrangement of the additional styli has the advantage that they will be arrested in their ineffective position when the vehicle is running, so that they do not disturb the operation of the normal styli recording the actual driving operations, whereas they are capable of recording the various odd working time periods on the empty space of the recording disk, while the vehicle is not running, as

in this case the normal styli draw only a thin circular line in their respective recording areas.

Preferably these additional styli according to the invention may be mounted in such a manner that, in their operative position, they produce a recording in the area of speed recording.

3,004,818 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 According to one embodiment of the present invention each additional stylus is controlled by several manually operable switching means, by means of which the particular stylus will be caused to record in different ways depending on which of the switching means was operated. I The additional or auxiliary styli may be controlled by known mechanical means as clockworks with cams or by electromagnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic means. But it seems most suitable to control the movements of the additional styli by the heating action of an electric current. For example, the stylus may be mechanically connected to an electrically heated filament, the circuit of which is periodically opened and closed, to generate an oscillating movement of the stylus whereby on the moving disk at band-shaped marking is produced the width of which depends upon the amplitude of the oscillating movement of the recording stylus. For differentiating between recordings related to various kinds of work it is convenient to change the width of the band-shaped recordings he; to vary the angle of deflection of the stylus to different degrees. According to one embodiment of the present invention a lever carrying the stylus is with several switch actuating members arranged at different distances from its pivotal axis.

At any time alternatively only the circuit associated with one or the other of these switch actuating members is connected to the corresponding manually operable switching means. 7

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method'of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of another embodiment similar to that of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 6 show various embodiments of the mounting of the switching means for the operation of the styli;

PEG. 7 showsa recording disk with records obtainable according to the present invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate details of means for moving a stylus between its idle position and its recording position; and

FIG. 10 illustrates modified actuating means for the recording device.

Let it be assumed, that two driversare active on a vehicle. According to the present invention one auxiliary stylus is provided for and assigned to, each driver, respectively, which stylus can be manually brought into different positions to record the working and waiting periods, intermission periods and the termination of work. In the embodiments described below the arrangement is such that each auxiliary stylus produces a broad bandshaped marking on the recording disk by means of an oscillating movement of the stylus for indicating waiting time whereas for working time there is produced a narrower marking, and for indicating intermissions only a thin line is recorded. At the end of work the stylus is provided aoeasrs is provided with four manually operable switching members. According to FIG. 3 the tachograph 1 has an upper switchboard 2, on which, for each driver, a group of four push buttons 3 is mounted. These buttons are marked to indicate the respective driver and the kinds of work to be recorded. In the drawing the switch board 2 carries the markings A=working period, W=waiting time, P=pause or intermission, E=end of work, and the numbers I and II are provided for indicating the driver.

In such cases, in which the switch board 2 of FIG. 3 cannot be inserted into the dash board of the vehicle, it may be suitable to mount the manually operable switching means, as shown by FIG. 4, directly in the casing 1 of the tachograph and to provide push buttons 4 which extend through the front glass plate 1 of the tachograph. These push buttons 4 are marked 1, II and A, W, P, E in like manner as was described with respect to FIG. 3.

According to FIG. 5 the group of push buttons for the two drivers are replaced by two turn switches 5 and 6, having different operative positions respectively corresponding to the desired operations or positions of the associated recording stylus. These turn switches 5, 6 and their operative positions are also marked I, II and A, W, P, E and they can be built in such a manner that they are operable by a key only to avoid fraudulent use.

If the dashboard of the vehicle is large enough the manually operable switching means may be arranged in a separate casing mounted in or on the dashboard, in addition to the casing ll of the tachograph as shown in FIG. 6. In this case the tachograph is connected with the additional casing 8 by means of a cable 7. This additional casing 8 contains the switching means for the opration of the auxiliary styli mounted in the casing 1. On the front face of the casing 8 are fixed two plates carrying the push buttons 10, suitably marked and extending through the plates 9 assigned to drivers I and II, respectively.

The plates 9 are provided with openings in which telltale. lamps 11 are mounted. It is also possible to illuminate the push buttons from the inside of the casing 8 in such a manner that always that button is illuminated which has been depressed last. Thereby, the driver is enabled to check which of his buttons 10 is depressed.

The functions of the device will now be explained with reference to the FIGS. 1 and 2. r In the circuit diagram FIG. 1 there are shown two substantially identical switching devices A and B, each assigned to one driver, respectively, surrounded by dashdot lines. In these devices A and B all like parts are de' noted by the same reference numbers, only with the difference that all numbers in device B are primed. For the purpose of explanation also one recording stylus device and a recording produced thereby is included in this diagram.

For the sake of completeness and of explanation, FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically also those components of the whole recorder arrangement which cooperate with the auxiliary stylus means and pertaining control and actuatmg means comprised in the units A and B.

In the particular application, by way of example, of the invention to a tachograph conventionally used on automotive vehicles, the vehicle a would be equipped with an engine b, the vehicle and/ or the engine constituting the mechanism whose operating conditions are to be recorded on a record carrier, e.g. a recording disk 39 as shown by FIG. 7, by means of the conventional speed recording means 0 of the particular tachograph, for which purpose the speed recorder c is operatively connected, as shown, with the speedometer device d of the vehicle a. As usual, the engine b is equipped with a starter motor e and ignition means 1, both being controlled, in this example by a switch 70. The speed recorder c is indicated by a box shown in dash-dot lines adjacent to the auxrhary recording units A and B to imply that all three 4 recording devices actually constitute one instrument; particularly since the speed recordings S (FIG. 7) reporting varying operational conditions of the mechanism a, b are produced on the same record carrier 39 as the additional recordings of other phenomena occurring during non-operative condition (standstill) of the mechanism a, b, namely different types of time periods consumed by the driver or drivers of the vehicle. It is to be understood that the speed recorder c comprises a main recording stylus controlled by the speedometer d, as e.g. the stylus 108 mounted on the stylus carrier 107 which is, in turn, controlled by the gear means 106, 169 (FIG. 2).

A stylus 2c is provided which is secured on a bellcrank lever 21. This lever is turnable about a shaft 26 which is supported in a frame 25, shown in dash-and-dot lines. The upper short arm 21b of the lever 21 is, on one hand, connected to an electrically intermittently heatable filament 24 which is also secured at its other end to a portion of frame 25, and, on the other hand, to a spring 22, which tends to turn the lever 21 in clockwise direction. The lever 21 will therefore be oscillated by the actions of the filament 24 and the spring 22 as will be explained below.

Frame 25 and thereby also lever 21 can be moved from its normal position to its operative position by an armature 27 of an electromagnet 28 if the latter is energized. Two alternative constructions of this portion of the device are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. According to FIG. 8, in the housing 29 of the tachograph a lever 21 is mounted by being attached at its rear end to a shaft 30 which, in turn, is mounted rotatably about its axis in a casing 32. The shaft 30 corresponds to shaft 26 and casing 22 corresponds to frame 25 in FIG. 1. Either the lever 21 or the shaft 30 carries an arm not shown in FIG. 8 but corresponding to arm 21b of FIG. 1, which is moved by the electrically heated filament 24 after op- 'eration of the corresponding switches, so that a rotating oscillatory movement of shaft 30 and thereby also of lever 21 results. The function of this device shall be described later on with reference to FIG. 1.

By turningly moving the casing 32 about a pivot 33 carried by the housing 29, shaft 30 and lever 21 can be moved tangentially to the rotary movement of the recording disk 39 and at the same time in the direction of the pivotal axis'X of the recording disk so as to be displaced between the positions shown in full lines and in dash lines, such positions being the operative and inoperative position, respectively. It can be seen that the slanting portion 21a of lever '21 cooperates with a stationary guide pin 29a for bringing about the movement in axial direction. Casing 32 willbe moved by the armature 27 of the electromagnetZS. When the electromagnet 28 is excited its armature 27 moves casing 32 andv shaft 30 in clockwise direction against the action of a return spring 32a. Thereby lever 21 leaves the idle position shown in dash lines and will be brought into the operative position shown in full lines in which stylus 20 engages the disk 39.

According to FIG. 9 the lever 21 carrying the stylus 20 is movably supported by a bracket 36 by means of pivoting levers 34, 35, preferably in parallelogram arrangement. v

The left portion of the two-armed lever 34 rests on the top end of a bar .37, slidably mounted in a sleeve 38 which carries the bracket 36 and is rotatable in a bearing socket 29b of casing 29 of the tachograph. In the housing 32' are arranged means, not shown, for oscillating the sleeve 38 and thereby the lever 21, and also the magnet 28 the armature 27 of which upon energization, causes the bar 37 to move down, against the action of a return spring 27a. The end of lever 34 is always held in pressing engagement with the top end of bar 37, by means not shown. By lifting the bar 37 the stylus 20 will be moved into the inoperative position shown in dash lines, whereas in the low position of the bar 37 it reaches the position shown in full lines, that means it engages the recording disk 39, the movement being similar to that described in reference to FIG. 8.

A tell-tale lamp 40 (FIG. 1) is connected in parallel with the electromagnet 28 and this lamp, when lit, indicates whether the lever 21 has reached the operative position.

The lever 21 is provided with two laterally projecting switch actuating members 41, 42 for controlling the circult of the electrically heatable filament 24. These members 41, 42 are arranged along the lever 21 at diilerent radial distances from the shaft 26 and are operatively connected by means of interposed semicircular leaf springs '43, '44, respectively, with resilient switch arms 45, 46,

respectively, which are insulated from, and mounted in, the frame 25, so that they have a fixed positional relation to lever 21 and its pivot 26. Furthermore the arms 45, 46 are provided with contacts by means of which they cooperatein one position with stationary counter contacts 47, 48, respectively, and in their opposite position with a stop 56, and a further contact 51, respectively, which latter controls a lamp 52. This signal lamp 52 is provided to furnish a blinking signal when the device is switched on so as to indicate the correct operation of the electrically heated filament 24. It should be noted that lever 21, members 41, 42, springs 43, 44 and arms 45, 46 are electrically conductive.

The operation of the lever 21 is controllable by four switches. The first switch 53 is provided for the operation pause, switch 54 for end of work, switch 55 for working period and switch 56 for waiting time. The switches 53 and 54 comprise each one pair of contacts only, and switch 53 has normally open contacts, whereas switch 54 has normally closed contacts. The two switches 55' and 56 are provided each with two pairs of normally closed contacts 73, 74, and 76, 77, respectively, and one pair of normally open contacts 75, 78, respectively.

The two multiple switches 55 and 56 are, in one respect, control switches for the two holding relays 57 and 58, respectively, and are moved from normal to operative position only for a brief period of time. The two holding relays 57, 58 have each three contacts 59-61 and 6264, respectively, and cooperating elastic contact levers; the holding circuits thereof will be interrupted when another switching member is operated.

The contacts 61 and 62 are each adapted to close the circuit for the electromagnet 28, whereas contacts 60 and 63 serve to establish connection from ground to contacts 47 and 48, respectively, and thereby via arms 45, 46 respectiveiy, and springs 43, 44, respectively, to actuating members 41, 42, respectively, lever 21 and finally to the electrically heatable filament '24. The contacts 59 and 64 are holding contacts for the relay coils 57 and 58, respectively and the operative condition thereof is indicated by lamps 65 and 66, respectively. Apart from the two holding relays 57 and 58 there is provided another holding relay 6'7, comprising two sets of contacts, one normally closed contact 68 and one normally open holding contact 69.

The conventional starter switch 70 of the vehicle is connected to operate an electromagnet 71 when in closed position, thereby opening a normally closed contact 72. Hereby the current flow to the units A and B is interrupted and any energized relay of the device is caused to return to normal condition because the respective holding circuits are cut oil. Instead of the starter switch 70 also a conventional ignition switch may be connected to operate the switch 71, 72, so that the device cannot be operated for recording the drivers time unless the vehicle motor is turned off. a

The device functions as follows:

By a momentary depression of switch 55 for recording working time" the relay 57 is fed with current from battery via closed contact 77 of switch 56, the now closed contacts 75 of switchSS, and via the switch 54 6 and switch 72. Relay 57 thus closes contacts 59, 66 and 61.

The contact pair 59 closes a holding circuit for relay 57 via the holding contact 77 of switch 56 as well as a circuit through lamp 65 which indicates the operation of switch 55. The electromagnet 28 is fed with current from battery and via contact pair 61 to ground. Thereby the armature 27 is attracted and the lever 21 is brought into operative position as described above@ The contact 60 closes the circuit for the electrically heatable filament 24 from battery via the meanwhile closed contacts 76 and 68, filament 24, lever 21, member 41, spring 43, contact arm 45 and contact 48 to ground.

Thenow electrically heated filament 24 expands so that spring 22 moves the lever 21 in clockwise direction, whereby the switch actuating member 41 moves, through the interposed spring 43, the contact arm 45 into the upper the action of spring 22. Member 41 follows this movemerit, spring 43 is tilted back and closes again the circuit for the filament 24 via contact 48, when spring 43 exceeds its tilting point and returns to its previous position. Stylus.

26 secured to lever 21 thus carries out by repetition of the described operations an oscillating movement of a certain amplitude as long as no other control switch is operated.

The amplitude of the oscillating movement depends on the length of travel of the switch actuating member 41 required for causing the switch arm 45 to disengageand to reengage contact 48 and therefore also on the radial distance between the member 41 and the pivot 26 of lever 21. When the lamp 52 is blinking accordingly the electrically heated filament 24 is in operation as described whereas the lamp 65 being lit indicates that switch 55 has been depressed. Lamp 40 is fed with current at the same time as coil 28 and time indicates that the stylus 20 has reached its operative recording position.

By depressing for a moment the switch 56 for recording waiting time the contact 77 is briefly opened so that the relay 57 is deenergized by interruption of its holding circuit and its contacts 5 61are opened. At the same time the holding relay 58 is supplied with current fora short while via closed contact 73 and closes its contacts 62, 63 and 64. These contacts operate similarlyas contacts 59-61 of holding relay 57. The lamp 66 is switched on and the electrically heatable filament 24 is supplied with current via contact 47 as long as contact arm 46 and contact 47 are in engagement. Since the member 42 is closer to the pivotal axis 26 of lever 21 than the member 41 the switching of the arm 46 by tilting through action of spring 44 is effected after a longer period of heating time, so that lever 21 produces a broader band-shaped marking on the recording disk.

When new the switch 53 for recording the operational condition pause or intermission is depressed for a moment, the holding relay 67 is briefly supplied with current from the battery via closed contact 73 of switch 55, closed contacts "/6 of switch 56, and via closed switch 53, closed switch 54, and closed switch 72 to ground.

The relay 67 is thus energized and operates the contests 69 and 68. The circuit of the electrically heated filament 24 is interrupted at the now opened contact 68 and a holding circuit for the relay 67 is closed via the closed contacts 69, 76, 73. Current for coil 28 is derived from the battery via now closed contacts 69, closed switch 54, closed switch 72 to ground, so that the stylus 20 can remain in its operative position. However, contact 68 being open, no current can now flow through the filament 24 and therefore the lever 21 remains in the position as determined by the normal length of the filament,

so that the stylus 20 traces a thinline only.

When now either switch 54 assigned to record working end or the starter switch 70- is operated, all circuits will: be opened. The lever 21 is returned to its inoperative position and all recording of drivers time is interrupted.

' It is clearly to be understood that the unit B provided for the driver 11 functions in the same manner as unit A assigned to driver I, both being completely independent of, each other and that it is of no importance for the functioning of the device in. which sequence the switches 53 to 56 are operated.

Above functions of the device of FIG. 1 have been described in connection with manually operable switch members in the form of push button switches, whereas now. an embodiment of the invention comprising turn switches will be explained with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. 2. In this embodiment double-pole turn switches Sit, 86 are provided for the two drivers, respectively. Each turn switch has two mechanically interconnected contact fingers Si, 82 which may be moved to positions of engagement with four corresponding contacts and/or stops 83-86, 87-9d, respectively. The contacts 83, 84 and 85 are connected to a coil 91, which when energized moves its armature 92 and thereby also the frame 225 shown in dash and dot lines and substantially corresponding to frame 25 of FIG. 1 so that the lever 93 carrying the stylus 193 is moved from its inoperative position to its working position. This is done in a manner similar to that described for the devices of FIGS. 1, 8, and 9.

The short arm 93a of the three-armed lever 93 is, on one hand, connected to an electrically heataole filament 94 and, on the other hand, to a spring 95, which tends to. turn the lever 93 in clockwise direction. The opposite ends of filament 94 and spring 95, respectively, are attached to'frame 225. Turning of lever 93 will be effected to such degree only, as is made possible by the expansion of the filament 94 due to heating during how of current therethrough. Switch actuating members 96, 97 are arranged along lever 93 at different radial distances from the pivot 93b of lever 93. These members 9'6, 97 are operatively connected with resilient contact arms llfi 101, respectively, by means of semicircular tilting springs 98, 99, respectively, and the contact points on the arms 100, 101 cooperate wth stationary contacts 102, 1%, respectively, when they are in their position shown in FIG. 2. These contacts 102, 103 are connected with contacts 87 and 88, respectively, of turn switch o, by corre sponding lines. In the second position opposite to that shown in FIG. 2 the contact point of contact lever lfil cooperates with contact 1il3a and thus closes the circuit of lamp Hi4 while contact lever 1% strikes against a stop 105 in its corresponding second position.

In the tachograph a pinion 106 is mounted, which through conventional means, not shown, is rotated according to the speed of the vehicle, thereby moving, by means of the rack 109, the slide 197 carrying the stylus 108 for recording the vehicle speed. When the slide 10-7 reaches its lower end position, i.e. the position corre sponding to speed it closes a contact llii. Hereby an energizing circuit for the electro-magnet 111 is closed so that its armature is attracted so as to close the normally open contact 112. Contact 110 thus has a function similar to that of starter switch 7th or" FIG. 1 with the only dillerence that withthe device of FIG. 2 the switching-on is effected depending on the decrease of the driving speed to zerowhereas with the device of FIG. 1 the switching-on is efiected by closing of the starter or ignition switch.

The lever 93' for the second driver is mounted and operable in similar manner as lever 93 assigned to the first driver, and this applies also to the pertaining other I in which the contact fingers land 82. are engaged with contacts 83 and 87, respectively. Thus, the electromagnet 91 is energized as soon as the contacts 110 and 112 are closed, i.e. as soon as the vehicle comes to a standstill. The electromagnet 91 moves through its armature 92 the frame 225 with the lever 93 and stylus 193 from the inoperative to the operative position. The electrically heatable filament 94 is still cool and therefore the contact points of arms Elli), llfil are in touch with the counter contacts 162, M93, respectively, as shown.

T he current to the electrically heatable filament 94 is now supplied via the contact 112, contact finger 82, contact 87, contact 102, contact arm 100, tilting spring 98, member as andlever 93 so that the filament 94 is electrically heated and expands. The spring can now rotate lever 93 with the stylus 193 in clockwise direction. The member 96 can follow until the tilting spring 98 turns the contact arm 100 down. Thereby the circuit for the electrically heated filament 94 is interrupted at 102 and it can contract againso that it moves the lever 93 in anticlockwise direction until the current for the filament is re-closed by the tilting back of contact arm This operation repeats automatically so that the lever 93 oscillates and traces a broad band-shaped marking 114. When the turn switch is rotated one step to the left, the contact fingers S1 and 82 engage the contacts 34 and 8%, espectivcly. The circuit of the electro-magnet 91 is therefore maintained, i.e. the stylus 193 is operative also in this position of switch 80.

Furthermore, the electrically heatable filament 94 is now supplied with current via closed contact 312., contact finger ('52, contact d8, contact 103, arm 161, tilting spring 99;, member 97 and lever 93. The filament. 94

is then periodically switched on and off in similar man ner as before but in shorter time intervals, so that in this case a narrower marking 115 is produced, because the angular movement of lever 93 between tilting positions of 99,101 is smaller.

In, the foregoing the operations for recording working period and waiting period" have been described. Upon rotating the turn switch do one step further to the left the contact fingers 81 and S2 engage contact and stop 89, respectively. Also in this case the lever 93 with stylus 193 is in its operative position since the electromagnet 91 is still supplied with current, whereas the filament 94 is switched off, since the engagement of the stop 89 does not close a circuit. Therefore the stylus 193 draws a. thin line rrs only. This line represents pauses or intermissions. In, the extreme left position of contact fingers 81 and 82 these will be arrested on stops 86 and 89, respectively, whereby no circuits are closed. This means that frame 225 and lever 93 are withdrawnto inoperative position by means not shown, since electromagnet 91 is deenergized. The respective position of switch 80 corresponds to working end.

In the foregoing the present invention has been explained inits application to the registration of different types of Working times of drivers of vehicles. Of course, the devices as described can be used to record other data, which are to be recorded, when the pertaining machines come to a standstill. Furthermore it is possible to provide further control contacts for the electrically treatable filament in operative connection with the lever carrying the stylus in order to obtain more recording possibilities.

Instead of electrically heated filament for operating the stylus lever also heatable stylus devices may be used. If the recording disk is made of paper coated with wax of a color different from that of the paper underneath and if an electrically heated stylus device is moved over the wax coated paper disk the base color will become visible. Thereby corresponding recordings will be obtained.

FIG. 10 shows a suitable device. For each of the two drivers there is provided a stylus carrier 120, which maybe moved into operative and inoperative positions,

respectively, by electromagnetic means as described for the devices of FIGS. 1 and 2. Each stylus carrier 120 carries slide members 121, 122, which are spring biased and connected to a casing 123. In this casing is mounted an insulating plate 124. Below the insulating plate 124 are mounted two heating coils 128, 129 which are connected between the terminals 125, 12 6, or 126,127, respectively.

The lower part 130 of casing 123 is provided with two longitudinally extending edges 131a and 1311;, which are spaced from each other by a recess 132 and which are positioned in close vicinity of the recording disk as soon as the stylus carrier 120 is placed in its operative position.

Terminal 126 is connected to electrical ground, whereas terminal 125 is connected to the switching member controlling the recording of the operation working time, by means of a lead 133. Terminal 127 is connected to the switching member controlling the recording of the operation waiting time," by means of a lead 134.

Upon operation of the switching member for recording working time the edge 13112 is heated by means of the switched-on coil 128, so that the wax coating under this edge is caused to melt. A traceof a width corresponding to the length of the edge 1351b is thereby obtained on the recording disk.

Upon operation of the switching member for recording waiting period the edge 131a is heated by means of the switched-on coil 129. Thereby a trace for waiting period is obtained having a width corresponding to the length of edge 131a which is laterally displaced with respect to the other trace. The two coils 128 and 129 may be switched on simultaneously by means of a further switching member so as to obtain a double trace from edges 131a and 121b, which denotes a third operation pause.

The recording disk, shown in FIG. 7, is a disk as generally used in a conventional tachograph. These conventional recording disks have three main recording areas. The innermost recording area is the area 150 which serves to record the distance covered by the vehicle. The zig-zag line 151 as shown in this recording area is drawn at a rate of 10 kilometers per one up and down stroke of the corresponding recording stylus. The next area 152 of the recording disk contains recordings of the stopping and driving times of the vehicle. The thin line 153 in this recording area indicates that the vehicle has been at rest during the recorded time. The narrow bandshaped recording 154 indicates that the one of the drivers has been driving during the recorded xtime, while the wide band-shaped recording 155 indicates that the other one of the two drivers has been on duty during the corresponding recording time. The third recording area 156 is fundamentally designed to accept recordings indicating the varying speeds of the vehicle. This last mentioned recording area is of considerable radial width which permits recording the speed at a comparatively large scale and thus makes it possiblee to read exactly the .occuring speeds from the corresponding speed recording 157. While diagram disks and devices for carrying out thereon the recordings described up to now in this paragraph are conventional, the area 156 constitutes according to the invention, at least in part a common recording area for not only recording speeds i.e. varying operational speeds of the vehicle, but also for recording, while the vehicle is at rest, other phenomena. Accordingiy, the disk illustrated by FIG. 7 is provided with recordings 11-4, 114, 115, 115 116, 116, respectively, made by the device accordingly to the present invention, as illusrtated by FlGS. 1-9. The recordings of operations of the drivers shown on the recording disk of FIG. 7 are listed successively in the following chart, the respective time data readable from the peripheral time graduation being marked, for the sake of this explanation, in figures opposed to the outer contour of the disk.

Time distance Kind of work covered,

Driver I Driver 11 7 :00- 7:05 7 00- 7 05 Preparations (working time) 7 :05- 7:12 drive to loading place- 4. 0 7 :12- 7:50 7 :12- 7:50 loading (working time) 7:50- 9:20 drive 42.0 :50 9:20- 9:50 unloading (work g time).-- :0 9:50-10:00 pause :2 waiting time for documents. 10:00-10: 10 unloading (working time) 10:10-10:25 waiting time for documents 10:2 12:15 drive 12: lit-13:15 12:15-13:15 midday pause 13:15-15:20 drive 15:20-15:27 15:20-15: 27 waiting time for unloading- 15:27-16:45 15:27-16:20 unloading and loading 7 (working time).

waiting time for documents. drive 13. 0 unloading (working time) 17 :20-17 :35 drive to garage 10.0 17 :35-18z00 17:35-13:00 finishing work for example servicing the vehicle.

it will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a use-iul'application in other types of tachographs difiering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a tachograph with a plurality of styli, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes'may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: t

1. An autographic recorder arrangement, comprising, in combination, a record carrier means having at least one common predetermined recording area and being continuously movable in a predetermined direction; at least one first stylus means, operatively connected with a mechanism operable at various operational conditions, and arranged for recording varying operational conditions thereof on said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier; at least one auxiliary stylus means for recording phenomena occurring while said mechanism is non-operating, said auxiliary stylus means being arranged also opposite said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier means for producing thereon a recording of said phenomena distinct from the recording of said operational conditions of said mechanism, said auxiliary stylus means and said first stylus means being arranged and constructed so as to cause interference therebetwecn in case of both said stylus means being in operative position and recording in said common predetermined recording area, said auxiliary stylus means being movable between an operative position enabling it to effect recordings, and an inoperative position in which it is spaced from said record carrier means so as to avoid interference with said first stylus means; shifting means for moving said auxiliary stylus means between said operative recording position and an inoperative idle position; actuating means for actuating said shifting means; and control means interconnected between said actuating means and said mechanism for rendering said actuating means operable only when said mechanism is in nonoperating condition.

2. An autographic recorder arrangement, comprising, in combination, a record carrier means having at least one common predetermined recording area and being ll continuously movable in a predetermined direction; at least one first stylus means, operatively connected with a mechanism operable at various operational conditions, and arranged for recording varying operational conditions thereof on said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier; at least one auxiliary stylus means for recording phenomena occurring while said mechanism is non-operating, said auxiliary styius means being arranged also opposite said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier means for producing thereon a recording of said phenomena distinct from the recording of said operational conditions of said mechanism, said auxiliary stylus means including electrical means for varying the type of record produced by said auxiliary stylus means in such a manner that different types of sa d phenomena are respectively recorded as distinguishable types of markings on said record carrier means, said auxiliary stylus means and said first stylus means being arranged and constructed so as to cause interference therebetween in case of both said stylus means being in operative position and recording in said common predetermined recording area, said auxiliary stylus means being movable between an operative position enabling it to eliect recordings, and an inoperative position in which it is spaced from said record carrier means so as to avoid interference with said first stylus means; shifting means for moving said auxiliary stylus means between said operative recording position and said inoperative position; actuating means for actuating said shifting means; control means interconnected between said actuating means and said mechanism for rendering said actuating means operable only when said mechanism is in non-operating condition; and selective switching means in circuit with said electrical means for controlling the latter so as to cause a desired one of said types of markings to be produced on said record carrier means.

3. An autographic recorder arrangement, comprising, in combination, a record carrier means having at least one common predetermined recording area and being continuously movable in a predetermined direction; at least one first stylus means, operatively connected with a mechanism operable at various operational conditions, and arranged for recording, while said mechanism is operating, varying operational conditions thereof on said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier; at least one auxiliary stylus means for recording phenomena occurring while said mechanism is nonoperating, said auxiliary stylus means being arranged also opposite said common recording area of said record carrier means for producing thereon in said common area a recording of said phenomena, while said first stylus means is not operating due to said mechanism being non-operating, said auxiliary stylus means including electrical means for varying the type of record produced by said auxiliary stylus means in such a manner that different types of said phenomena are respectively recorded as distinguishable types or" markings on said record carrier means, said auxiliary stylus means and said first stylus means being arranged and constructed so as to cause interference therebetween in case of both said stylus means being in operative position and recording in said common predete mined recording area, said auxiliary stylus means being movable between an operative position enabling it to efiect recordings, and an inoperative position in which it is spaced from said record carrier means so as to avoid interference with said first stylus means; shifting means for moving said auxiliary stylus means between said operative recording position and said inoperative position; actuating means for actuating said shifting means; control means interconnected between said actuating means and said mechanism for rendering said actuating means operable only when said mechanism is in nonoperating condition; and selective switching means in cir 'cuit with said electrical means for controlling the latter imanually operable switch,

earns so as to cause a desired one of said types of markings to be produced on said record carrier means.

4. An autographic recorder arrangement, comprising, in combination, a record carrier means having at least one common predetermined recording area and being continuously movable in a predetermined direction; at least one first stylus means, operatively connected with a mechanism operable at various operational conditions, and arranged for recording, while said mechanism is operating, varying operational conditions thereof on said common predetermined recording area of said record carrier; at least one auxiliary stylus means for recording phenomena occurring while said mechanism is non-operating, said auxiliary stylus means being arranged also opposite saidcommon recording area of said record carrier means for producing thereon in said common area a recording of said phenomena, while said first stylus means is not operating due to said mechanism being nonoperating said auxiliary stylus means including electrical means for varying the type of record produced by said auxiliary stylus means in such a manner that different types of said phenomena are respectively recorded as bandshaped markings of respectively different Widths on said record carrier means, said auxiliary stylus means and said first stylus means being arranged and constructed so as to cause interference therebetween in case of both said stylus means being in operative position and recording in said common predetermined recording area, said auxiliary stylus means being movable between an operative position enabling it to effect recordings, and an inoperative position in which it is spaced from said record carrier means so as to avoid interference with said first stylus means; shifting means for moving said auxiliary stylus means between said operative recording position and said inoperative position; actuating means for actuating said shifting means; control means interconnected between said actuating means and said mechanism for rendering said actuating means operable only when said mechanism is in non-operating condition; and selective switching means in circuit with said electrical means for controlling the latter so as to cause a desired one of said widths of markings to be produced on said record carrier means.

5. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the range of widths of said band-shaped markings includes a minimum width substantially consisting of a continuous line marking.

6. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said auxiliary stylus means includes stylus carrier means movable in a direction transverse of the movement of said movable record carrier means, said shifting means including support means for said stylus carrier means for shifting the latter between operative and inoperative positions; and wherein said actuating means include electromagnet means operatively connected with said support means for shifting the latter to operative position upon being energized, said control means including switch means and circuit means for simultaneously placing said mechanism in non-operating condition and permitting energization of said electromagnet means, and, alternatively, placing said mechanism in operative condition and simultaneously causing de-energization of said electro magnet means so as to cause shifting of said support means to inoperative position.

7. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said selective switching means comprise a plurality of manually and independently operable switches, a like number of relay switches respectively connected with said switches for being individually actuated thereby, each of said relay switches being in circuit with an associated one of said electrical means for causing a respectively different type of marking to be produced and including holding circuit means for maintaining the individual relay switches, when actuated by the associated in such actuated condition, said relay switchesv being interconnected in such a manner 13 that when any one of them is actuated the holding circuits of all other relay switches are interrupted.

8. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first stylus means includes a first stylus carrier means and said auxiliary stylus means includes a second stylus carrier means, both said carrier means being movable from a normal position of rest in a direction transverse of the movement of said movable record carrier I means, said shifting means including support means for said second stylus carrier means for shifting thelatter between operative and inoperative positions; and wherein said actuating means include electromagnet means operartively connected with said support means for shifting the latter to operative position upon being energized, said control means including switch means operable by said first stylus carrier means when the latter reaches its normal position of rest, said switch means upon being operated serving to permit energization of said electromagnet means and to render said selective switching means operative.

9. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said stylus carrier means is capable of carrying out an oscillating movement, said electrical means in- I cluding an electrically heatable element operatively connected with said stylus carrier means for causing a dethe thermal expansion of said element upon being heated by electrical current flowing therethrough, and causing return of said stylus carrier means to normal position upon interruption of said current, the amplitude of said deflection and consequently the width of said band-shaped marking depending upon the time of flow of said current, said selective switching means being capable of predetermining the time of current flow as maybe desired.

10. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electrically heatable element is a conductive filament of predetermined resistance stretched between a stationary point and a portion of said stylus carrier means spaced from the center of its oscillating movement, spring means being provided for holding said filament in stretched condition and to deflect said stylus carrier means from its normal position upon expansion of said filament upon being heated.

11. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein said selective switching means include switch members for controlling said electromagnet means so I flection thereof from its normal position depending upon that, simultaneously with determining by operation of said switching means the desired width of a marking to be carried out by said auxiliary stylus means, said auxiliary stylus means is shifted to operative position by energization of said electromagnet means.

12. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electrical means include a plurality of snap switch means in circuit with said electrically heatable element and respectively with said selective switching means, said snap switch means being arranged for being mechanically moved by said stylus carrier means between a normal position in which a circuit for heating said element is closed, and a second position in which said cir-' cult is interrupted, said various snap switch means being located along said stylus carrier means at difierent radial distances from said center of its oscillating movement in such a manner that the rhythm and amplitude of said oscillatingmovement depends upon said radial distance of the particular snap switch which is at a given moment placed in circuit with said electrically heatable element by operation of said selective switching means.

13. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 2, comprising a housing accommodating all of said various means except for said selective switching means, and switch board means attached to said housing externally thereof and accommodating said selective switching means. i

14. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 2, comprising a housing accommodating all of said various means and having a transparent front provided with perforations, said switching means including manually operable actuating means projectingthrough said perforations, respectively.

15. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said selective switching means are turn switches operable to be set to any of a plurality of switch positions respectively associated with the various types of markings to be recorded.

16. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 2, comprising a first housing accommodating all of said various means except for said selective switching means, and a second housing accommodating said switching means, circuit means being provided to connect said switching means with said first mentioned means located in said first housing.

17. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 2, I

wherein said record carrier means comprises sheet material provided with a wax coating, and wherein said stylus means includes electrically heatable recording means capable of producing, when heated, a marking on said record carrier means by melting said wax coating.

1'8. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein said heatable recording means comprise a plurality of individually heatable portions, said selective switching means being respectively connected with said portions for selectively causing said portions to be heated and to produce correspondingly different types of markings.

19. A recorder arrangement as claimed in claim 7, comprising tell-tale lamps operatively connected with said selective switching means for being controlled thereby, and respectively associated with said electrical means causing respectively different types of markings to be recorded, in such a manner that a particular type of marking being recorded is indicated by a light signal furnished by the respectively associated tell-tale lamp.

1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

